Media

Young People Demand More from President Biden

Reproductive Health Care Pre-Trump is Nothing to Aspire to  

January 22, 2021

Rachel Waters

rwaters@urge.org

7068311667

 

(Washington, DC) — Statement from Kimberly Inez McGuire, Executive Director of URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity in response to the statement from the Biden-Harris Administration on the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in the United States. 

“Today, the Biden-Harris Administration outlined their commitments around abortion access. While we applaud the Administration’s affirmation that reproductive health care should not depend on a person’s race, income, zip code, or immigration status, we cannot achieve that vision without more robust actions from President Biden. While this is a start, it is not nearly enough.” 

“Between the Day 1 press conference failure to reaffirm President Biden’s commitment to end the Hyde Amendment and the conspicuous absence of the word ‘abortion’ from today’s statement, I’m worried that abortion stigma is alive and well in the Biden-Harris Administration. People who have abortions deserve the dignity of recognition — it’s time to say the word.” 

“In addition to words, we need action. We urge the Biden-Harris administration to immediately lift the in-person appointment requirement for access to the abortion pill, a necessary measure in the current pandemic emergency. We also look forward to Hyde-free budgets from the Administration, as well as clear direction to Congress that abortion coverage bans have no place in federal policy.” 

“In the last 10 years, abortion clinics have been shut down across the country. Hundreds of new abortion restrictions have been imposed by unchecked state politicians. And now, a pandemic has pushed young people, women of color, and others most harmed by abortion bans to the economic brink. There is no time to lose: abortion access must be protected and restored and this Administration can make real strides in addressing this need. All we ask is that they follow through on the promises made during the campaign and honor the millions of young Black and Indigenous women, people of color, queer, trans, and nonbinary people who voted them into power.”